Annie, Are You Okay?
by jacksparrow589
Summary: After chapter 72, Riza goes to visit Havoc in the hospital. Unfortunately, things aren’t as simple as she’d like them to be. Why does Havoc have to be so observant and such a caring friend?


**Annie, Are You Okay?**

**A/N: Okay, a bit of conjecture on my part here, but I'm making the assumption that Havoc knows about Bradley being a homunculus and what that entails.**

Jean Havoc brightened up considerably as Riza Hawkeye strode into his hospital room. "Hey! Haven't seen you in a while!"

Riza smiled at him. "Nice to see you, too, Havoc. You seem to be in good spirits."

"Any reason I shouldn't be?" Havoc wanted to know. "Well, other than the whole transfer… But yeah, anything else I should know about? Bradley threatening to just get it over with and kill you, maybe?"

Riza sighed and shook her head. "You're as subtle as ever, Havoc."

Havoc's eyes narrowed slightly--he seemed to have noticed something. "You're avoiding the question."

Returning his stare with her own annoyed one, Riza answered, "No, he hasn't threatened to kill me, much less tried to, unless you count the risk of bleeding out from paper cuts."

Indicating a spot on his own cheek while staring at Riza's, Havoc half-accused, _"That's_ no papercut, Riza."

"You're right—it's not. I got it the other night when I was unpacking a few things."

"Pffft. If you're _that_ clumsy, I'm Bradley's biological son."

Riza froze completely if only for one instant, and Havoc saw the raw fear in her expression. It was then that he noticed the marks on her wrist and neck. "What happened? Don't tell me it's nothing. Something happened." Havoc's voice dropped to a whisper. "The Colonel was in here just a couple hours ago and he said something wasn't right when he called you the other night."

"What's wrong with refusing flowers if I don't have a vase?" Riza retorted.

"Stop avoiding the subject! What's with you? You're usually upfront… You've been ordered not to talk—no—threatened into silence. But it wasn't Bradley…?" Havoc thought for a moment. "Wait… his son—"

"_Stop._" Riza said it quickly and quietly before Havoc could guess any further. Before he could start again—_Stop caring, idiot! You're already in enough danger!_—she shook her head again. "_Please,_ Jean, just stop."

Havoc rolled his eyes. "I'm already here—things could hardly be worse. Anyway, risk is part of the job."

"So let me take my own risks, then."

Now Havoc's eyes took on an icy glint. "The Chief wouldn't forgive me for letting you take the fall." _Wouldn't forgive himself, either, if what he said about their conversation was any indication._

"_I_ wouldn't be able to forgive myself for letting you take the fall for me. I can deal with Colonel Mustang. And don't even think of telling him anything. You just have to trust me. I can handle this on my own."

"Jeez, how much were you threatened?" Havoc muttered under his breath; knew he wouldn't get an answer from Riza, and he didn't press the issue. He had a pretty good idea already. "Well, anything I _can_ do?"

"Recuperate. I don't think we're planning on letting you out so easily." Riza half-smiled.

"You and your double standards," Havoc grumbled. "Fine, fine. Then let me rest, not that I'll be able after you… Ugh… I swear, I will kick someone's ass if anything happens. I don't know how, but I will. Just… Yeah. Nothing unnecessary. I know you know, but sitting back and watching isn't agreeing with me, especially with you guys telling me to hurry up and get better. Even if I'm telling you something you already know, I at least feel like I'm doing something, so don't disabuse me of that!" The last exclamation was accompanied by a wry half-grin.

Riza made much the same expression. "Wouldn't dream of it. I'll come back in on my next day off. At least those seem to be a bit more frequent."

"Small blessings," Havoc muttered, rolling his eyes again. " 'Til then, I s'pose."

Nodding Riza grabbed her bag. "Until then, Jean."

After she left, Havoc settled back onto his pillows. He absolutely _hated_ just sitting there, more useless than Roy in a rainstorm. At least the Colonel hadn't been there. God only knew how _that_ would've turned out, but probably not very nicely, if Havoc had to take a guess. He just knew that he couldn't take much more waiting.

"Guess I really do have to hurry up and get out of here so that I can be of real use." Havoc exhaled heavily. "Very well. But they'd better not make me do all this work for nothing—I want a piece of this, too. This ending before I can play a part would seriously piss me off."

With that, he grabbed his weights and began a set of reps.

**A/N: Funny how someone saying something completely coincidental can trigger something so horrible, right? Okay, so I might have forced it a little… er, a maybe a LOT… but don't tell me that this hasn't happened to you before!**

**I was listening to Alien Ant Farm's cover of "Smooth Criminal" (thus the title) and Paramore's "Let the Flames Begin" while writing this, in case you care. They got me pretty jazzed.**

**Well, despite that one little bit, I hope I did well! Please let me know!**


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